By: Susan VanEpps

Following on our theme of civic engagement, this month we interviewed Brian Chavis, who’s currently active in five Loudoun organizations and is a past participant in many others.

ARGroup is coming up on 27 years in business. When in the process of building your business did you make the decision to have ARGroup – and yourself specifically – be involved in the community, and why?

ARGroup began as my technology consulting company. I had been an employee with two failed startups, and consequently decided I was much smarter than my bosses – an assumption that I would regret many times in the future! Rather than hitting the employment marketplace, I leveraged relationships from the startups to make enough money to survive on my own.

After a few years, one of my clients made me a job offer to put my company on hold. So for two years, I was a manager in one of the fastest growing companies in the country. However, it did not take long to figure out who was making the real money. As I have said many times in public, after my boss bought his second Ferrari, I decided to remove my head from his aspirations and take charge of my future.

Community involvement did not come in the picture for me until I moved the business to Loudoun in 1995. After a few years, I realized that I needed to get out and meet some people. I joined the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce technology committee in 1999. At the second meeting the chairman quit. Suddenly, I was elected as his replacement and appointed to the board of directors. So I really have no compelling story on how I first became involved. I was just na?ve and raised my hand in a meeting!

ARGroup participates in community organizations that on the surface are not directly tied to technology. How did you decide which groups to join? In which are you currently involved?

My involvement has evolved over the years. I joined groups along the way based on my interests and who did the asking. I have participated with organizations that are not technology focused. But ARGroup clients are not technology companies, so it makes more sense to me to hang out with business leaders rather than my competition. However, I have headed up the Loudoun Technology Committee since I began my involvement in the chamber 12 years ago.

Currently, I am the chairman of the Loudoun Industrial Development Authority, chairman of the Loudoun Technology Coalition, a board member of the chamber (Loudoun Technology Coalition and CEO Cabinet), a member of the Regional Advisory Council of the United Way, and a member of the Loudoun Economic Development Commission.

This probably sounds like a lot, but most of these groups are interconnected in the overall fabric of the business community.

What have been some of the most rewarding community projects or initiatives you have worked on, and why?

My most rewarding projects have involved the interaction of business leaders to solve critical problems in the community. This is particularly relevant to Loudoun because the residential expansion over the past 20 years exposed many gaps in supporting services and infrastructure. Here are my favorites:

Although it is hard to imagine today, only about eight years ago the Internet infrastructure in Loudoun was primitive. Housing and commercial development had exploded, but we were stuck with a dysfunctional cable franchise with outdated technology. I was at the core of great group of business people who collectively brought this issue to light. As a result of our campaign of events, media and education, telecom providers began making significant investments in the infrastructure we enjoy today.

I was a founding board member of the Loudoun Community Health Center, or Healthworx as it is known today. This successful, critically important resource came out of a chamber task force funded by a grant from Loudoun Hospital. I was very fortunate to be on this committee and be able to observe how a group of business leaders could create such a tangible success out of will, persistence and commitment.

Your community contributions are significant. How have you been able to make the time to be involved while running a business? Has participating had any specific effects (positive or negative) on ARGroup?

Our philosophy with community service is very simple – it is good for business. We believe it is either arrogant or naive to overuse the words, “giving back.” And community service is not optional for successful businesses. We receive far more from our commitment to Loudoun than we give. Community service provides leadership training, public recognition, and business vision beyond the company walls. ARGroup employees are encouraged to join volunteer efforts, and it is perfectly okay to do so on company time.

Do you have any specific recommendations for other entrepreneurs on getting involved in the community?

I would say to start and go in deep with one involvement rather than spreading your work across several. Choose an organization that is complementary with your business success. Otherwise you will never last. And realize that you are creating your reputation in the business community. Don’t be the person that talks too much and does too little.